A computer’s central processing unit (CPU) was compared to a human brain. When t

Question

A computer’s central processing unit (CPU) was compared to a human brain. When the human brain is damaged, our ability to think clearly and behave properly can be negatively impacted.

a. What happens when a CPU is damaged? In other words, what computer operations are impacted and why?

b. What would happen if CPUs were as susceptible to perception and error as the human brain?

c. How is computer hardware, created by human brains, limited by its’ developers?

d. How is computer memory similar to human memory?

e. How is computer memory different than human memory?

Explanation / Answer

Ans A :

A cpu is a manager in a computer system. It has following components :

1.Arithmetic Logic Unit(ALU) : It performs arithmetic and logical operations.

2. Control Unit(CU) : It extracts instructions from memory and executes and decodes them, it calls ALU when it necessary.

3.Memory Unit : Memory unit consists of RAM,ROM and cache memory.

If a CPU is damaged it will not be able to perform the task given by you. CPU does all the arithmetic and logical operation if it is not working properly then you might get wrong result and output will be unreliable.

Control Unit understand the command given by user and perform some tasks like it fetches or store some data from memory by calling memory unit and helps to give instructions to output devices(printer, monitor, scanner etc.).

Without memory a computer is nothing. When you do a task it is necessary to store your current states. If Memory Unit is not working properly your data may be lossed or data can be corrupted. If CPU is not able to find where the free space it can overwrite new information to the already occupied memory location so your valuable data can be lossed.

If your CPU is completely damaged then your system is nothing more than a box.

Ans B:

If CPU's were as susceptibe to perception and error as the human brain then a human's work will be easier. CPU works on the basis of data stored and programs which are written by human. If CPU starts act like human brains then it would not need our command to do work it could learn from experience and environment. The biggest advantage of machine brain is they do not get bored, they work with same enthusiam in the whole day.

Many NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers are based on artificial intelligence. but giving artificial intelligence to a system has it's own pros and cons. If a system gets wrong it can destroy things just like bad human.

Ans C : Computer hardware are designed and developed by human brains. He makes them accordingly his need of work. Hardware are just like our body parts. They need brains to do work. They doesn't have memory to store their experience so that they can learn from past experience. Without instructions they are useless.

Ans D:

Similarities between CPU and human brains -

They both deal with large amount of data which they store, compare and act on their own specialized way.

Both use electricity to function. In a neuron, this is called an action potential.

In CPU,things get processed so fast but the output is incapable of matching such speed. Same goes with humans. Our Brain is so fast but we cannot match it with while we are speaking,writing.

Computer distribute their processing to various processes likewise we have neurons in brain to take care of that.

Both loose capability with Time.Computer breaks down with time,we Human loose Brain cells with age thus degrading functioning.

Ans E:

- Human brain takes it's decision itself but a CPU's decesions are based on it's programming so that human brain is more flexible.

- Processing speed is not fixed in human brain whereas a cpu's processing speed or clock speed is fixed.

- Human brain does not have short time memory like RAM in CPU. It does not completely erased when we sign off or sleeps. RAM in CPU is erased when we shut down the system.

- Unlike computers, processing and memory are performed by the same components in the brain . Computers process information from memory using CPUs, and then write the results of that processing back to memory. No such distinction exists in the brain.

-The brain is much, much bigger,powerful than any computer

-Human brain is extremly fast. Simulating 1 second of human brain activity takes 82,944 processors.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.